We can all create long term plans when it comes to personal growth and career progression. But how you approach your day-to-day routine also impacts your future path. So how are you making the most of your working day?

Here are some suggestions that can get you back on track from an article that I found in the Sydney Morning Herald:

Daily warm-up: Assess the important tasks that need to be accomplished for the day. Who do you need to speak to? What proposals/client requests do you need action? By doing this each day it will save you on letting yourself get carried away by distractions. Write down the points if you need to and keep them at your desk like a checklist.

Tame Technology: Email pop-ups can be really distracting while you are on the phone or are in the middle of typing up a document. But you do not need to be checking your emails every time a new one pops up. If you have an urgent task to work on, limit your time to check those emails until you are done or at least in the right frame of mind to respond. If the emails do not require an immediate response, you can certainly put them on the back-burner until you have free time to address them.

Compress meetings: This is important especially if you are the instigator of the meeting, to keep within the allocated time frame and to cover main points/outcomes and not get sided tracked. The longer you spend running the meeting, the more you will have to catch up on when you return to your current workload.

Pick up the phone: If there is something that you need further clarification on, instead of discussing it over 4-5 emails, why not just pick up the phone and get a direct response? While it may be nice to have information in writing, don’t forget that emails can sometimes be misunderstood, and as they are not direct conversations, sometimes it can be hard to read tone etc. If you are also liaising with someone directly within your office, try to avoid emailing them when you can walk up to them and approach them directly. That will help you keep stronger working relationships.

Forced isolation: Whether it’s once a day or week, turn off electronic devices, avoid distractions and even find a quite space if need be to work on those high-end tasks that need to be completed. It can also be an important way to clear your mind and establish fresh ideas if you are overwhelmed or just need a quiet space to think.

Work in waves: Allow yourself times to cover urgent tasks at times of the day when you are reaching peak performance and make sure that you allow breaks and rest periods throughout the day. The body and mind need time to rest and repair otherwise you can become stressed and exhausted which can be bad for your health long term.

Change expectations: Make sure communicate effectively your workload and what you are capable of doing so that you do not become a ‘yes’ man. By taking on too much and not having enough time to complete it all yourself, you will not be meeting your expectations or theirs. Manage your time and workload effectively so that you can bring the best results to the table.

Have you applied any of the above options into your daily routine? What other methods do you follow to get the most out of each day?